CBCA BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014 SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

A few weeks ago, the Children's Book Council of Australia announced its shortlists for the CBCA Book of the Year awards. CBCA judges from each state of Australia read a year's worth of books and must decide on an agreed shortlist of 6 books for each category. The winners are announced at the start of Book Week celebrations. This year the winders will be announced on Friday 15th August at noon. I have recently purchased any picture books or books for younger readers and early childhood that we do not have in our library and they should arrive soon.

My favourite is Silver Buttons by Bob Graham. As soon as I saw it last year I knew it was going to be shortlisted. It is a cleverly written, illustrated and crafted picture book and is a fine example of the true meaning of a picture book. It may at first appear to be a simple tale, visually suited to very young children yet it takes a more sophisticated reader to understand what is actually going on - and like all good picture books, takes many readings and viewings to  really appreciate the story and the cleverness behind the book. Keep an eye out for that one.

For a full list of shortlisted books visit http://cbca.org.au/awards.htm

Children's Book Festival March 2014

View of the Reading Room

Last Sunday I went along to the Children's Book Festival at the State Library. It was absolutely fantastic! There were so many fun things to do and it was all FREE. There so many families there enjoying the day, participating in the many activities, meeting authors and illustrators, watching performances, creating and walking through the Sticky Maze and enjoying the roving performers. Queues  of people waiting to get their books signed by Andy Griffiths, Sally Rippin, John Marsden, Terry Denton and others stretched from the library steps to Swanston Street. These Australian children's authors are  recognized and idolized as rock stars!

A huge array of fun activities were spread in the rooms of the State Library, even in the gallery rooms where the walls were covered in original historical paintings and surrounded by statues.  Children were playing with Lego, creating headbands, and writing stories in the normally silent Dome Reading room - side be side with teenagers and adults reading and studying.  Hundreds and hundreds of people explored the State Library, a building which is always open to the general public and is a must see on your next visit to the city.

 

The State Library has planned many initiatives to bring families into the library, so that is not seen as a place just for university students, scholars or 'professionals'. There are always free school holiday programs and families are encouraged to come in and have a wander around the glorious building. Of particular interest is the Dromkeen exhibition of original artworks from Australian picture books. In the levels surrounding the Dome Reading Room there is a fabulous history of our state in artworks and writing. You can even see Ned Kelly's actual armor. It is a sight to see, as well as the views looking up to the domed roof and down to the Reading Room below.

 

I encourage all families to visit the State Library the next time you are in the city and to watch out for next year's Children's Book Festival. You won't be disappointed.  Enjoy my photos. ( I haven't quite worked out how to organize photos on a blog so they are a bit out of order!

Denise

 

 

 

Making Where the Wild Things Are headbands in the Dome Reading Room while people are studying



 

 

Dromkeen sculpture of mythical creatures and book characters. Can you see Hush from Possum Magic?



Ned Kelly's armor at the State Library 

Entrance to the Sticky maze

Inside the Sticky Maze. This was rather special.

 

Andy Griffiths and Sally Rippin sign books for their fans

  

 

 

 

 

What would Sir Redmond Barry think having all of these people in his forecourt?

 

The Dromkeen sculpture of The  Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek statue from the book of the same name by
Jenny Wagner and Ron Brooks

State Library Swanston Street

 





Original picture book artworks from the Dromkeen Collection



Forecourt of the State Library


Dromkeen exhibition



 

 

Library News

Welcome to my very first library blog, in fact my first ever blogging experience!. Here you will be able to read about new library books, book recommendations, fun facts about authors and illustrators, links to websites, videos or book trailers and much, much more.

Two great new series that we have in our library are the first two books in the Do You Dare? and Lost World Circus series. Last week I was lucky enough to hear the authors of these books talk about their writing and research processes for the creation of their books.

Here is publisher Jane Godwin talking to the authors of the Do You Dare? series - Alison Lloyd, Sofie Laguna, Simon Mitchell and James Moloney.

Do You Dare? (Suggested age group - Grade 4 +)
These great new books are set in specific years in Australia's history and bring our history alive. rather than just retelling historical facts, the  historical events of the time become the backdrop or setting for the stories. Each story has a central group, mostly boys, who surprisingly have much in common with children of today and of course there is loads of action. the characters rely on each other, help each other out, take plenty of risks and do everything they can to 'save the day.' My favourite of the first two is 1931, The Bushranger Boys.

 
The other new series is Lost World Circus by Justin D'Ath, author of the Extreme Adventures and Mission Fox series. Here's Justin!

The Last Elephant and The Singing Ape are the first two books in this sequential series - you must read them in order. The publisher's blurb reads: "Colt lawless is on the run, suddenly famous and more than a little superhuman. Can he save the last animals on Earth?"(Suggested age group - Grade 3 +)

                              

Set in the future, 12 years from now, rat flu has wiped out almost every animal and bird on the planet. The creatures in captain Noah's famous Lost World Circus are the last of their kind. But the rat cops are determined to shut down the circus. Colt and his acrobat friend Birdy might be the only ones who can save it. But first they must save Lucy - the world's LAST ELEPHANT. Again, these books are full of action, and mystery. And as well as being great adventure stories they also remind us of the need to protect our endangered animals. For more news about this great series and for information about Justin and his other books visit www.justindath.com

And for those fans of Justin's Extreme Adventures series, they have been made into a TV show for Channel Ten, screening from July 6th this year. We saw a film clip and the shows are full of action and lots of humor The show will be called Sam Fox: Extreme Adventures  Watch Sam as he tackles extreme terrain and ferocious predators. The first three books (episodes) have been collated into a new book .... and we have that in the library too!

 I hope you enjoyed this first library blog... If there are some teething problems I'll be sure to  too fix them next time.
Thank to Ms Harris and Mrs Carroll for their help and advice.
Denise Pilinis